“…Therefore, the hypothesis that Latin America is characterized by the highest degree of homicides in the world is tested. The theoretical basis for persistence in homicides fundamentally builds on the extant literature on convergence in development studies, notably: financial (Goddard, Liu, Molyneux, & Wilson, 2011; Stephan & Tsapin, 2008) and inclusive (Asongu & Nwakwuku, 2017a) developments. Moreover, the theoretical foundations are consistent with mainstream literature on income levels which has been documented within the remit of neoclassical growth models (see Barro, 1991; Barro & Sala-i-Martin, 1992, 1995; Mankiw, Romer, & Weil, 1992; Baumol, 1986).…”